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My Forster patch cutter...

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J

Jbar4Ranch

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... has cut a LOT of patches over the past many years, and every time I take a stone and sharpen it, the blades get a few microns shorter... and shorter...

One of these days I'll need to replace the cutter head, but Forster hasn't marketed the tool for some time - any suggestions?
 
Call Forster directly, and ask them for a source for the tool. If anyone will know, they will. NO?


A Lot of people make use of "Keyhole " drills in various diameters. They chuck the drill in a drill press, turn it on, and then use files and stones to remove the teeth and make a sharp edge to the circular bit. Put the bevel on the Inside of the cylinder wall. Use honing stones to keep it sharp as you cut patching from layers of material.

To hold the material flat, and Stiff for cutting, many use a wood "template" to place over the stack of fabric, then clamp the template firmly against the drill press table, and run the cutter through the hole in the template. If you buy fabric by the yard at a local fabric store, you can simply fold the fabric over in "pleats", and cut through the resulting layers.
 
In addition I find that it helps to put a piece of light cardboard( such as the sides of cereal boxes )under the cloth.I usually fold my cloth and cut ten patches a press. ( I use an old arbor press, but the quill of a drill press works as well. )
 
Anything under the cloth to save the cutting edge that is better than any wood is OKAY, for sure. If you use those cereal box cardboards, use the back side UP, so that the slick printed side, that has a fine granite powder imbedded into the cardstock to allow the ink to take, won't be slowly dulling the cutting edge of your cutter.
 
What I use is a roll of cardboard that I've had for twenty years it is simular to cereal boxes but unprinted. Beneeth it I have a mylar (a high density plastic ) plate. Cutting through the cardboard keeps the bottom layer of cloth from "compressing" and not cutting evenly.The mylar plate doesn't dull the cutters or allow the cutter to penetrate (as long as you are reasonable with the press. You can actually " feel " the punch go through the cardboard.)and get stuck as wood often does. I don't have to worry about my cutters dulling since they are made from used drill bushings (an extremely hard tool steel ) and easily sharpened on a lathe with a hand stone. ( It is nice to have your own machine shop as well as woodworking equipment for building furniture)
 
Today, someone would be wise to buy one of those "Plastic" cutting boards sold in department stores, and " Gourmet" cooking shoppes( never a shop!), or probably a lot cheaper from any restaurant supply house. You can put them under that cardboard, and under the layers of fabric, to stop the cutter, without damaging the cutting edge.

Having such a shop of equipment would be the dream of about 95% of the members on this forum. I have several friends I have cultivated over the years who have some or all of the tools and machines I might need. I don't burden any one of them very often, but they are always amused when I show up with some project involving guns that I need their help to do. I don't know if its just the pre`conceived ideas they may have about "lawyers", or the fact that they are interested in knowing about Traditional Mlers, but I have not be turned away.
 
Growing up on the farm and having to fix the equipment and maintain the buildings with what ever hand tools we had left me with a "Tim Taylor complex" I just have to have more tools-tools-tools. Working in tool and die work was always "feast or famine". So I started building furniture to carry me through the slow times. Now I am retired and have a whole shop full of equiupment. While the wife watches the tube I go out to the shop and play with my toys.
 
I cut along the lines (as a guide) on pillow ticking and make square patches.I have used them with the same load, same day, same material. Same results.
 

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